In a freewheeling conversation with TNIE’s Kalyan Tholeti, BRS working president KT Rama Rao asserts that his party will win in Jubilee Hills with a bigger majority than in 2023. He predicts elections in 2027 and says that the Congress will implode after the bypoll.
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What have you done for Jubilee Hills?
Firstly, I have submitted a progress report on the constituency where we have spent Rs 5,328 crore in our 10 years in power. We ramped up health infrastructure and were building TIMS hospital in Jubilee Hills with about Rs 900 crore. It is almost 95 per cent completed. Besides that, we focused on primary care centres. We started 350 basti dawakhanas and of them, 13 are in Jubilee Hills. We spent on public health, public transportation, water supply and other welfare schemes. The Metro was completed to the extent of 8.3 km in Jubilee Hills. It all adds up to an expenditure of Rs 5,328 crore on Jubilee Hills.
If so, why are people still facing basic civic issues?
Civic issues in a city like Hyderabad will always be there. If you go to any first world country like the US, you will find issues in New York, Los Angeles. Maintenance and operations of a large city with one crore-plus population will always be a challenge no matter how many governments change. Am I claiming that we have made Telangana a heaven? We have done our best in 10 years with the resources available. People also bought into it. We have been voted four times including in the 2015 GHMC polls, 2018 Assembly polls, 2020 GHMC polls, and in the 2023 Assembly polls, we swept Hyderabad. If we had not done our job, people would not have voted consistently for us.
In the game of antonyms, If pro is the opposite of con, what is the opposite of progress? It is Congress. What have they done for Hyderabad in the last two years? I have been asking the chief minister, “Why don’t you put out a progress report?” They talk about everything under the sun. They talk about 2004 to 2014 during which time, the present CM was not even in Congress. He was its bitter opponent then. Today, he jumps in to claim credit. We were in power for 10 years but the Congress, by its own yardstick, was in power for 50–60 years. If they are going to talk about 2004–2014, then a comparison should be made between our 10 years and their 50–60 years in power.
You say that Congress hasn’t done anything. But they say they are giving ration cards, Indiramma Houses, fine variety of rice and other welfare schemes.
No house was given in Jubilee Hills. We never talked about ration cards even though we gave 6.5 lakh cards during our time. It is a routine matter, not an achievement.
The biggest allegation against the BRS is that it left the state debt-ridden with empty coffers by the time it demitted office, hobbling the new government.
Their brains are empty. In Parliament, one BJP MP asked a question on the total debt of Telangana. The Government of India stated explicitly that as of December 2023, it was Rs 3.5 lakh crore. Do we believe that or some random figures? Congress leaders make up whatever they want out of thin air. In 2014, we inherited a debt of Rs 72,000 crore, which means by 2023, we borrowed only Rs 2.8 lakh crore. The talk of Rs 8 lakh crore is absolute trash. One minister says Rs 6 lakh crore, another says Rs 8 lakh crore. Let them back it up with evidence. What did KCR do with borrowed money? He built 34 medical and nursing colleges, completed Mission Bhagiratha, pulled the state out of a power crisis by pumping in Rs 1 lakh crore. Telangana, a dry region, became number one in the country in paddy production. Minor irrigation tanks were repaired and 1,000+ gurukuls were established. We spent heavily on welfare. We gave Rs 73,000 crore under Rythu Bandhu and waived crop loans worth about Rs 30,000 crore. Let CM Revanth Reddy explain how the Rs 2.3 lakh crore debt his government borrowed has been spent.
They have waived crop loans and are running some welfare schemes?
According to the State Level Bankers' Committee, in 2023, the total amount required for loan waiver was Rs 50,000 crore. Even if you go by the government’s claim, they managed only Rs 21,000 crore. In reality, banks received only Rs 12,000 crore. Whom are they going to fool?
But the government says a substantial part of the income is going towards debt-servicing?
Revanth Reddy and his colleagues lie every day and spread canards. He claims they are paying Rs 6,500 crore interest. CAG and RBI reports show they are only paying Rs 2,000 crore. I have not seen more white lies in the history of this country than this government’s. When we assumed office, the budget was about Rs 65,000-70,000 crore. When we stepped down, it had scaled up by four times to around Rs 2.9 lakh crore. Per month our revenue in 2014 was Rs 6,000 crore. When we left, it was Rs 18,500 crore. As per the CM, in November 2025, the monthly revenue is the same. Why has growth stagnated? In September 2023, Telangana was number one in GST collections. In September 2025, it ranks No.28 because of negative policies.
Why are you opposed to HYDRAA? It is doing its work in reclaiming encroached lands.
The institution of EVDM was set up by me. They changed the name and gave it excess powers. They are blackmailing builders, contractors and people and extorting money. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka himself named 20 different projects being built on lakebeds. Was even one taken out? Why is HYDRAA selective? Their ministers have buildings in FTL. CM’s brother Tirupati Reddy is spared but one Madhusudhan Kumar, who had a school in the same area, was not. His building was demolished at night despite stay orders. Why harass poor people in Sunnam Cheruvu? The CM claimed HYDRAA dug wells underground. It is absurd. In this administration, there is nobody to collect even trash. He suspended SNDP. Why? HYDRAA filled the Congress’s pockets and crashed real estate.
The CM is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the seat from you. How confident are you about your chances?
You will not see a CM doing roadshows for eight days. You will not see him trying to pander to caste associations and cine workers especially after ruffling the feathers of the film fraternity. If they were confident, they would not be running ministers from pillar to post and distributing sarees, cash and cookers. Hyderabad is a BRS bastion and we are going to win with a bigger majority than the 16,000 we secured last time.
Jubilee Hills is a local election. This is more about the daily needs of people. That is why we score big. Congress has been a huge disappointment, unable to keep its extravagant promises. Now people are angry and it is going to manifest in this election.
Four lakh voters have the unique opportunity to voice the anger of four crore people. I appeal that they vote in such a way that the Congress mends its ways. Now, the Congress is afraid. That is why they inducted Azharuddin into Cabinet, began development works in Kollur, cine workers got a bonus, and they are saying they will set up a welfare board for gig workers. If the Congress loses, people will get six guarantees. If not, the party will think it doesn’t make a difference even if they don’t perform.
How do you see the role of MIM, which has endorsed the Congress candidate?
Minorities have not moved away from the BRS. Without their support, we would not have swept Hyderabad in the Assembly polls. To assume that every minority is with Majlis is a fallacy. I really pity and sympathise with Asaduddin Owaisi. The Congress is insulting him day in, day out. Shabbir Ali calls him B team of BJP. Congress minority department chairman and MP Imran Pratapgarhi says the same. Asad has to take this humiliation day in day out. Yet he has to support Congress. I don’t know what his obligation is. I only wish my friend the best. This election will prove that people vote not as a minority or majority. They vote for good governance.
The Congress accuses you of having a tacit understanding with the BJP? What about the cases against you and your party leaders?
They are shallow cases. If there was any evidence, why don’t they produce it and punish us? They are in the government. I will face the trial. Did any politician say I will take a lie detector test? I did. I welcome a lie detector test and let Revanth come too. He is also facing an ACB case. His leader Rahul Gandhi calls the CBI a parrot of the BJP. Why did Revanth hand over the Kaleshwaram case to the CBI? There is a deep nexus. This government is a joint venture of the BJP and Congress. One year back in September 2024, minister Ponguleti was raided by the ED. Money counting machines were also taken to his residence. There has been absolute silence since then. Bhatti’s mother-in-law was raided recently. Revanth awarded an AMRIT scheme contract worth Rs 1,150 crore to his relative who runs a company that had a profit of Rs 2 crore. As quid pro quo, one BJP MP is given a Rs 1,350 crore contract. The Congress opposed the Waqf Amendment Act but the Revanth government is the first in the country to issue a GO for its implementation. Rahul and Revanth have opposite positions on Adani, CBI, Gujarat. Who is with whom?
Why do you keep saying there will be elections in 500 days?
All I am saying is in about 500 days, in 2027, elections are likely to happen. A new government will be in place. We will not do anything to topple the government. Congress MLAs are crying about not getting funds for development. One more cannot do anything. The Yellareddy MLA wrote a letter to the World Bank! Every MLA is unhappy. With its state leadership in tatters, with only one family enjoying power, there is simmering anger and rage in the Congress. Nalgonda, Khammam Congress leaders are already grinding their axes. After polls, the contradictions will intensify. Elections are imminent in 2027. KCR is going to stage a fantastic comeback.